按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Poor things；〃 said Mrs。 Waring…Gaunt。 〃How could either of you help it？〃
〃Why is it that all the nice men are married？〃 inquired Nora。
〃I beg your pardon； Miss Nora；〃 said Jack in a pained voice。
〃I meanwhyI'm afraid I can't fix that up； can I？〃 she said； appealing to Mrs。 Waring…Gaunt。
〃Certainly you can。 What you really mean is； why do all married men become so nice？〃 said Mrs。 Waring…Gaunt。
〃Oh； thank you； the answer is so obvious。 Do you know； I feel wild to…day。〃
〃And so do I；〃 replied Kathleen； suddenly waking to life。 〃It is the wonderful air； or the motor； perhaps。〃
〃Me； too；〃 exclaimed Jack Romayne； looking straight at her； 〃only with me it is not the air； nor the motor。〃
〃What then！〃 said Kathleen with a swift； shy look at him。
〃'The heart knoweth its own bitterness and a stranger intermeddleth not with its joy。'〃
〃That's the Bible； I know；〃 said Kathleen； 〃and it really means 'mind your own business。'〃
〃No； no； not that exactly；〃 protested Jack； 〃rather that there are things in the heart too deep if not for tears most certainly for words。 You can guess what I mean； Miss Kathleen；〃 said Jack； trying to get her eyes。
〃Oh； yes；〃 said the girl； 〃there are things that we cannot trust to words； no； not for all the world。〃
〃I know what you are thinking of；〃 replied Jack。 〃Let me guess。〃
〃No； no； you must not； indeed；〃 she replied quickly。 〃Look； isn't that the mine？ What a crowd of people！ Do look。〃
Out in the valley before them they could see a procession of teams and men weaving rhythmic figures about what was discovered to be upon a nearer view a roadway which was being constructed to cross a little coolee so as to give access to the black hole on the hillside beyond which was the coal mine。 In the noise and bustle of the work the motor came to a stop unobserved behind a long wooden structure which Nora diagnosed as the 〃grub shack。〃
〃In your English speech； Mr。 Romayne； the dining room of the camp。 He is certainly a hustler；〃 exclaimed Nora； gazing upon the scene before them。
〃Who？〃 inquired Mrs。 Waring…Gaunt。
〃Ernest Switzer；〃 said Nora； unable to keep the grudge out of her voice。 〃It is only a week since I was up here and during that time he has actually made this village； the streets； the sidewalksand if that is not actually a system of water pipes。〃
〃Some hustler； as you say； Miss Nora； eh； what？〃 said Tom。
〃Wonderful；〃 replied Nora； 〃he is wonderful。〃
Jack glanced at the girl beside him。 It seemed to him that it needed no mind…reader to interpret the look of pride； yes and of love； in the wonderful blue…grey eyes。 Sick as from a heavy blow he turned away from her； the flicker of hope that his brother…in… law's words had kindled in his heart died out and left him cold。 He was too late； why try to deceive himself any longer？ The only thing to do was to pull out and leave this place where every day brought him intolerable pain。 But today he would get all he could； to…day he would love her and win such poor scraps as he could from her eyes； her smiles； her words。
〃Glorious view that；〃 he said； touching her arm and sweeping his hand toward the mountains。
She started at his touch； a faint colour coming into her face。 〃How wonderful！〃 she breathed。 〃I love them。 They bring me my best thoughts。〃
Before he could reply there came from behind the grub shack a torrent of abusive speech florid with profane language and other adornment and in a voice thick with rage。
〃That's him；〃 said Nora。 〃Some one is getting it。〃 The satisfaction in her voice and look were in sharp contrast to the look of dismay and shame that covered the burning face of her sister。 From English the voice passed into German； apparently no less vigorous or threatening。 〃That's better；〃 said Nora with a wicked glance at Romayne。 〃You see he is talking to some one of his own people。 They understand that。 There are a lot of Germans from the Settlement； Freiberg； you know。〃
As she spoke Switzer emerged from behind the shack； driving before him a cringing creature evidently in abject terror of him。 〃Get back to your gang and carry out your orders； or you will get your time。〃 He caught sight of the car and stopped abruptly； and； waving his hand imperiously to the workman； strode up to the party； followed by a mild…looking man in spectacles。
〃Came to see how you are getting on； Switzer； eh； what？〃 said Tom。
〃Getting on；〃 he replied in a loud voice； raising his hat in salutation。 〃How can one get on with a lot of stupid fools who cannot carry out instructions and dare to substitute their own ideas for commands。 They need discipline。 If I had my way they would get it； too。 But in this country there is no such thing as discipline。〃 He made no attempt to apologise for his outrageous outburst； was probably conscious of no need of apology。
〃This is your foreman； I think？〃 said Nora； who alone of the party seemed to be able to deal with the situation。
〃Oh； yes； Mr。 Steinberg；〃 said Switzer； presenting the spectacled man。
〃You are too busy to show us anything this afternoon？〃 said Nora sweetly。
〃Yes； much too busy；〃 said Switzer； gruffly。 〃I have no time for anything but work these days。〃
〃You cannot come along for a little shoot？〃 she said； innocently。 Nora was evidently enjoying herself。
〃Shoot！〃 cried Switzer in a kind of contemptuous fury。 〃Shoot； with these dogs； these cattle； tramping around here when they need some one every minute to drive them。 Shoot！ No； no。 I am not a gentleman of leisure。〃
The distress upon Kathleen's face was painfully apparent。 Jack was in no hurry to bring relief。 Like Nora he was enjoying himself as well。 It was Tom who brought about the diversion。
〃Well； we must go on； Switzer。 Coming over to see you one of these days and go over the plant。 Treasurer's got to know something about it； eh； what？〃
Switzer started and looked at him in surprise。 〃Treasurer； who？ Are you to be treasurer of the company？ Who says so？ Mr。 Gwynne did not askdid not tell me about it。〃
〃Ah； sorrypremature announcement； eh？〃 said Tom。 〃Well； good… bye。 All set。〃
The Packard gave forth sundry growls and snorts and glided away down the trail。
Nora was much excited。 〃What's this about the treasurership？〃 she demanded。 〃Are you really to be treasurer； Mr。 Waring…Gaunt？ I am awfully glad。 You know this whole mine was getting terribly Switzery。 Isn't he awful？ He just terrifies me。 I know he will undertake to run me one of these days。〃
〃Then trouble； eh； what？〃 said Waring…Gaunt； pleasantly。
After a short run the motor pulled up at a wheat field in which the shocks were still standing and which lay contiguous to a poplar bluff。
〃Good chicken country； eh？〃 said Tom； slipping out of the car quietly。 〃Nora； you come with me。 Quiet now。 Off to the left； eh； what？ You handle Sweeper； Jack。〃
〃I'll drive the car；〃 said Mrs。 Waring…Gaunt。 〃Go on with Jack； Kathleen。〃
〃Come on； Miss Kathleen； you take the gun； and I'll look after the dog。 Let me have the whistle； Tom。〃
They had not gone ten yards from the car when the setter stood rigid on point。 〃Steady； old boy；〃 said Jack。 〃Move up quickly； Miss Kathleen。 Is your gun ready？ Sure it's off safe？〃
〃All right；〃 said the girl； walking steadily on the dog。
Bang！ Bang！ went Nora's gun。 Two birds soared safely aloft。 Bang！ Bang！ went Kathleen's gun。 〃Double； by jove！ Steady； Sweeper！〃 Again the dog stood on point。 Swiftly Jack loaded the gun。 〃Here you are； Miss Kathleen。 You will get another；〃 he said。 〃There are more here。〃 As he spoke a bird flew up at his right。 Bang！ went Kathleen's gun。 〃Another； good work。〃 Bang！ went Nora's gun to the left。 〃Look out； here he comes；〃 cried Jack； as Nora's bird came careening across their front。 It was a long shot。 Once more Kathleen fired。 The bird tumbled in the air and fell with a thump right at their feet。
Sweeper； released from his point； went bounding joyfully over the stubble。 Jack rushed up toward the girl； and taking her hand in both of his； shook it warmly。 〃Oh； splendid； partner； splendid； great shooting！〃
〃Oh； it was easy。 Sweeper had them fast；〃 said Kathleen。 〃And that last shot was just awfully good luck。〃
〃Good luck！ Good Lord！ it was anything but luck。 It was great shooting。 Well； come along。 Oh； we're going to have a glorious day； aren't we； partner？〃 And catching hold of her arm； he gave her a friendly little shake。
〃Yes；〃 she cried； responding frankly to his mood； 〃we will。 Let's have a good day。〃
〃Where did you learn to shoot？〃 inquired Jack。
〃Nora and I have always carried guns in the season；〃 replied Kathleen； 〃even when we were going to school。 You see； Larry hates shooting。 We loved it and at times were glad to get themthe birds； I mean。 We did not do it just for sport。〃
〃Can your sister shoot as well as you？〃
〃Hardly； I think。 She pulls too quickly； you see； but when she steadies down she will shoot better than I。〃
〃You are a wonder；〃 said Jack enthusiastically。
〃Oh； not a wonder；〃 said the girl。
〃Wait till I get the birds back to the car；〃 he cried。
〃He…l…l…o；〃 cried his sister as he came running。 〃What； four of